I'm glad I checked back in! I had thought that Vagabond was done not realizing that it's on a Berserk-esque schedule. I've read the first 20 issues or so back when it was released in single issue format and told myself that I'd go back when it was done to read it in one fell swoop...and then I forgot to go back even though I thought it was done.
I've been debating diving into A Bride's Story as it sounds very interesting thematically, and the art is indeed gorgeous. I've only been holding off while I wait for some of the Image and IDW (Low, Descender, The Black Monday Murders, Jem & the Holograms) titles I'm following to be done so that I don't have too many different series on the go at once.
Speaking of Berserk and Miura-san, I read Giganto Maxia recently after coming across it online, and was really wishing there was more. The world and character building done in just a few short volumes for what seems like a short story or one-shot is far too ambitious and deep to be relegated to 200 pages.
Vagabond isn't done. Inoue just likes to take breaks to do research and enjoy his success. He's earned it, IMO. It seems like most of the best creators take time with their craft because they are focusing on opus level storytelling. I can't imagine it's a simple production, either. If you look at the pages, you can tell that there is no wasted space and that even simple panels such as those depicting insects or foothills or clouds all mean something very specific. That kind of storytelling is spiritually draining and sometimes you need to take a break and NOT create to clear your mind and not get burned out or lose inspiration.
Regarding Inoue, I strongly recommend you read both
Slam Dunk and
Real if you haven't.
Real, in particular, hits very hard. It's about handicapped people playing wheelchair basketball. It it very emotionally wrenching at times.
A Bride's Story is pretty good, but it's not a masterpiece. It's worth a read if you have the time, however.
Two more recommendations for y'all, especially if you're looking for 'grown up' manga:
Wolfsmund-This is George R.R. Martin in manga form. It is as powerful as any story I've ever read. I'd even put it up there with
Berserk in terms of its darkness and visceral quality. It's historical fiction, telling about the formation of Switzerland as it fought to free itself from Austrian rule. Geoffrey Baratheon and Ramsay Bolton have
nothing on the cruel nobles in
Wolfsmund. It is a shocking, frustrating and gripping read. There are victories to be found, but they are VERY hard won and always have devastating consequences. I'd say this is one of the best manga I've ever read. It ended after 9 volumes. I recommended it a while ago. If you fuckers aren't reading it, you should be.
Vinland Saga-this is a viking era saga that predates the Norman conquest by about..30 years or so? I'm fuzzy on the dates but I know it's the early 11th century. This one is by Makoto Yukimura (
Planetes) and this guy knows his viking history. Well, as much as any manga-ka CAN know viking history, since most of it was passed down orally and we're left piecing together the details from the shreds of evidene we have. This is another absolute fucking gem, and if you luddites aren't reading it I shall have you attainted and destroyed.
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